Another high school girls soccer season is in the books.
Steinert (17-2) and Allentown (16-4) won division titles and advanced to the semifinals of the Central Group III playoffs. These teams led the way with three first-team players each.
Spartans senior Adriana Ryder is our CVC Player of the Year and Mike Hastings is our Coach of the Year.
Robbinsville placed two players on the first team, while Hightstown, Hopewell Valley and West Windsor-Plainsboro North each had one.
Here is the best All-CVC First Team XI:
Adriana Ryder, Sr., Steinert >> The CVC Player of the Year won the Golden Boot after scoring 23 goals and adding eight assists for a league-leading 54 points. Ryder was accurate in 16 of the Spartans’ 19 games. She is versatile enough to play as a wide right, so she can cut in from the left foot, through the middle as a traditional No. 9 or as an attacking center mid.
Bella Conti, Jr., Allentown >> The Redbirds standout had 19 goals and nine assists for 47 points and finished second in the Player of the Year category. Conti bounced back from a nagging injury during her sophomore campaign to lead Allentown’s rebuilding season in which she increased her win total from seven to 16. Conti is poised for another run at Player of the Year in 2023.
Charlotte Garcia, Jr., Hightstown >> It was a breakout season for the Rams standout forward as she scored 16 goals. Garcia thrives in space when he can take on defenders and get past them with long, quick strides. When in the mood, she is the toughest cover in the league, which she proved by scoring twice in an upset win over Steinert in the MCT quarterfinals.
Julianne Ryder, Sr., Steinert >> While her twin sister is the Player of the Year, this Rider has been just as key to the Spartans’ success. She finished her senior season as the only CVC player to post a double-double with 11 goals and 12 assists. Ryder had a knack for popping up in a big spot to score a key goal or assist.
Aditi Singh, Sr., WW-PN >> Singh’s 15-goal, six-assist senior campaign was a big reason why the Knights were more competitive in coach Laurent Paragon’s first season. Another player with positional flexibility, Singh can play as a No. 10 or No. 8 in midfield. She did her best running with the ball at her feet through the centre.
Cara Keating, Sr., Robbinsville >> Keating was everywhere on the field during her senior season as a two-way midfielder for a team that went 12-6 and finished second to Allentown in the Valley Division. The senior finished with a team-high 14 goals as the Ravens reached the MCT semifinals and won a Central Group II playoff game.
Samantha Allen, Jr., Allentown >> Sometimes you just need someone to deliver the crunch. No one at CVC delivered them better than Allen. Although her name rarely appeared on the scoresheet, the Redbirds were able to win the division title and advance to the MCT finals thanks to Allen’s work. She had her best game in the MCT finals when, even with the loss, Allentown only lost 1-0 to Pennington and took Morgan Kotch off the list for Region Player of the Year.
Alyssa Hendricksen, Jr., Steinert >> If you want to know why the Spartans are on an 11-game hitting streak, including a seven-game hitting streak midway through the season, look no further than this junior quarterback. Hendricksen anchored the back line and was often responsible for tracking the other team’s best player.
Isabel Knott, So., Allentown >> The youngest player in the Best XI, Knott became a key figure in the center of a back three that kept 13 clean sheets and conceded just 11 goals. Consider that four of those 11 goals came in a 4-2 sectional semifinal loss, all of which came after Knott left the game with a freak injury.
Sophia Aquilina, Sr., Robbinsville >> It may be a surprise inclusion on this list, but not for those who have watched her all season. The Ravens wouldn’t have had the season she did without her putting out fires with timely tackles or layups. Aquilino has worked hard to come back from his ACL injury and have a great senior campaign.
Lucy Fleming, Sr., Hopewell Valley >> After years of flying under the radar, Fleming has been in the spotlight for the Bulldogs. Heading to Franklin & Marshall, she quickly established herself as the best shooter (and penalty kill defender) in the CVC. She had nine clean sheets, which was important in keeping her side in the games.
Mike Hastings, Steinert >> The Spartans boss was named our Coach of the Year after leading his team to a 17-2 record, the Colonial Division crown and the CVC’s first 13-0 season since 2018. Hastings also joined the 100-win club this season. Allentown’s Kim Maurer, whose team jumped from seven wins to 16 to return to the top of the CVC, and Hightstown’s Samantha Biondi, whose Rams went 10-8 and qualified for the MCT with a top-8 seed, earned honorable mention.
All-CVC Girls Soccer
The first team
Forward, Bella Conti, Jr., Allentown
Forward, Charlotte Garcia, Jr., Hightstown
Forward Adrian Ryder, Sr., Steinert
Midfield, Julianne Ryder, Sr., Steinert
Midfielder, Aditi Singh, Sr., WW-PN
Midfield, Cara Keating, Sr., Robbinsville
Midfield, Samantha Allen, Jr., Allentown
Defense, Alyssa Hendricksen, Jr., Steinert
Defense, Isabel Knott, So., Allentown
Defense, Sophia Aquilina, Sr., Robbinsville
Goalie, Lucy Fleming, Sr., Hopewell Valley
Player of the year — Adriana Ryder, Steinert
Coach of the Year — Mike Hastings, Steinert
The second team
Forward, Brooklyn Samonsky, Jr., Nottingham
Forward, Michaela Little, So., Lawrence
Midfielder, Lindsay Hines, Jr., Allentown
Midfielder, Magdelena Major, Jr., Notre Dame
Midfielder, Lizzie Andrus, Jr., Robbinsville
Midfielder, Sydney Smith, Sr., Ewing
Defense, Ryan Carr, Sr., Notre Dame
Defense, Maya Annika, Sr., WW-PN
Defense, Rachel Charsky, Sr., Hightstown
Defense, Alyssa Kiesewetter, Jr., Princeton
Goalie, Ryan Keefe, Sr., Allentown
Honorary award
Allentown: Fallon Mazza (Sr.), Nora Mosley (Sr.); Ewing: Shaune Biggs (Jr.), Talia Hearns (Sr.); Hamilton West: Morgan Bressler (Jr.); Hightstown: Angelina Benitez (Jr.), Abby Schwum (Jr.), Sydney Ragland (Sr.); Hopewell Valley: Andy Cappucci (Sr.), Kaylee Ross (Sr.); Lawrence: Jessica Everman (Sr.), Jillian Kibby (Sr.), Gwyneth Moore (Sr.); Notre Dame: Julianne Lynch (Sr.), Emily Javik (Jr.), Reagan O’Mara (So); Nottingham: Sydney Auletta (Sr.); Princeton: Marina Zaldarriaga (So.), Holly House (Jr.); Robbinsville: Emily Morgan (Fr.), Stella Cherniglia (So.), Sophia Dimeola (So.), Perry Ganser (Jr.); Steinert: Reilly Klein (So), Alessia Amato (Sr.), Jillian Jones (Sr.), Ariel Waringer (Sr.); Trenton: Marilyn Castillo (Senior); WW-PN: Ginny Choi (fr.), Prema Budhiraja (fr.); WW-PS: Alexis Contes (Sr.), Aditi Negi (Sr.)
